Therophilus nuichuaensis, van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010, Revision of the Agathidinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Vietnam, with the description of forty-two new species and three new genera, ZooKeys 54, pp. 1-184 : 99-101

Therophilus nuichuaensis sp. n. Figs 329-337

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), "Vietnam: Ninh Thuân, Núi Chúa N.P., dry south part, Mal. traps, 100-180 m, 22-29.v.2007, C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries, RMNH’07”. Paratypes: 1 ♀ + 4 ♂ (IEBR, RMNH), same data.

Diagnosis.

Runs in the key by Chen & Yang (2006) to Therophilus tayulingensis (Chou & Sharkey, 1989) from China (Taiwan), but that species has only the apical fifth of the hind tibia dark brown, vein SR1 of the fore wing curved and resulting in a very narrow marginal cell anteriorly, vein cu-a of the fore wing oblique, the posterior ocelli comparatively large, larger than the anterior ocellus, the scutellar sulcus with three carinae, the first tergite costate and the second tergite distinctly transverse. It runs in Chou & Sharkey (1989) because of the nearly square second tergite to Therophilus festivus (Muesebeck, 1953), but that species has the scutellar sulcus with three carinae, the first tergite costate, the second tergite rather costate to nearly smooth, the median area of the second tergite weakly differentiated and the first tergite less robust, 1.6-1.9 times as long as wide apically.

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.2 mm, of fore wing 2.5 mm, ovipositor sheath 2.2 mm.

Head.

Antenna incomplete, with 21 segments remaining, length of third segment 1.3 times fourth segment, length of third and fourth segments 3.0 and 2.4 times their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 0.6 times height of head; malar space 2.4 times as long as basal width of mandible; in dorsal view length of eye 3.2 times temple; temple gradually narrowed posteriorly (Fig. 336); ocelli in moderately high triangle, POL:OD:OOL = 9:5:10; face moderately shiny and densely punctulate; clypeus largely smooth and weakly convex, punctulate; frons with sharp and distinct medial ridge, shallowly concave anteriorly, smooth and rather convex medially and moderately punctulate laterally; area in font of anterior ocellus short and with a short subparallel depression; vertex and temple shiny and largely smooth, with sparsely punctulate.

Mesosoma.

Length of mesosoma 1.3 times its height; pronotum with distinct convex area antero-ventrally, with seven carinae or rugae antero-medially, finely densely punctate dorso-posteriorly and posterior groove distinctly crenulate, remainder mainly smooth; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum crenulate; mesoscutum spaced punct ulate, middle lobe with a pair of shallow longitudinal depressions, medio-posteriorly lobes slightly convex; notauli complete and narrowly crenulate; scutellar sulcus half as long as dorsal face of scutellum, moderately deep and with one carina; scutellum shiny, rather flattened and with sparse rather coarse punctures, subposterior crest obsolescent, but with a narrow crenulate transverse groove (Fig. 331), medio-posterior depression obsolescent; precoxal sulcus deep, moderately and narrowly crenulate, but anteriorly absent (Fig. 330); mesopleuron below precoxal sulcus spaced punctulate and superficially coriaceous; remainder of mesopleuron spaced finely punctate and partly superficially coriaceous; metapleuron densely setose, spaced moderately punctate and ventrally rugose; propodeum coarsely rugose-reticulate, but smooth posteriorly (Fig. 331); propodeal spiracle small and round.

Wings.

Fore wing: second submarginal cell small and petiolate (Fig. 333); vein SR1 straight; r:3-SR+SR1 = 1:26; r-m about slightly longer than petiolus (Fig. 333); apical half of subbasal cell moderately setose; 2-R1 about as long as 1-R1 (Fig. 333). Hind wing: vein M+CU as long as vein 1-M.

Legs.

Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.6, 6.6 and 7.6 times their width, respectively; hind femur largely smooth, finely pimply and with short setae (Fig. 334); length of outer and inner spur of middle tibia 0.5 and 0.7 times middle basitarsus, respectively; outer side of middle tibia with a row of 3 pegs and 2 pegs at apex; length of outer and inner spurs of hind tibia 0.4 and 0.5 times hind basitarsus, respectively; tarsal claws with large lobe.

Metasoma.

First tergite mainly superficially granulate intermingled with rugulae, parallel-sided without distinct dorsal carinae, its length 1.4 times its apical width (Fig. 332); second and third tergites smooth, second tergite slightly narrowed anteriorly and with an obsolescent curved transverse groove (Fig. 332); remainder of metasoma (including second suture) smooth; ovipositor sheath 0.90 times as long as fore wing.

Colour.

Black; pedicellus brown and distinctly paler than scapus and flagellar segments mainly brown with dark medial band or largely dark brown; mandible, palpi, malar space ventrally, tegulae, basal 0.6 of hind tibia (but with an indistinct subbasal brown patch), largely hind trochanter and trochantellus, apex and base of first tergite narrowly, second tergite, third tergite laterally and ventral half of metasoma ivory or pale yellowish; pronotum antero-medially, fore leg (but coxa largely dark brown), middle leg (but coxa dark brown and tarsus brown), scutellum laterally, metanotum, remainder of metasoma, pterostigma and veins dark brown; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation.

Antennal segments of female 30, of male 29-32; vein M+CU 0.7-1.1 times as long as vein 1-M; outer side of middle tibia with row of 3-6 pegs; apex of first tergite narrowly (♀) or widely (♂) ivory; posterior half of second tergite dark brown (♀) or ivory (♂);length of body 3.2-3.9 mm, of fore wing 2.5-3.3 mm.

Distribution.

S Vietnam: Ninh Thuân.

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Named after the type locality: Núi Chúa National Park.